The present invention relates generally to surgical products and, more particularly, to medical needles for penetrating bodily cavities, including fluid conducting needles and the like.
Intravenous (I.V.) Needles, catheters and the like are known in the medical arts as the means by which fluids are introduced into and withdrawn from a fluid-carrying body cavity such as, for example, a blood vessel including a vein or an artery. The typical I.V. needle consists of an elongated, generally cylindrical tube formed of surgical steel having one end which is ground, cut or otherwise formed to provide a pointed, gently sloping portion adapted for penetration through the subject""s skin and into a selected body cavity, e.g., a blood vessel. Once properly situated within the body cavity, fluids including, but not limited to, blood, blood products, nutrients and drugs, may be infused into and/or: extracted from the body cavity through the I.V. needle.
In perhaps the most common use of I.V. needles, an I.V. needle or catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. Medical personnel experienced in inserting such needles can, for many patients, properly insert the needle into a selected vein or artery in one or two attempts so as to achieve satisfactory fluid flow through the needle. However, for many other patients whose vasculature may not be readily accessible for reasons including, inter alia, displacement of the yieldable vessel resulting from contact by the inserted needle, small vessel size, excessive depth of the vessel beneath the skin, and the like, several insertions of the needle may be required before sufficient penetration of the vessel is accomplished and acceptable fluid flow through the needle can be established. As a consequence, these latter patients must endure the pain and trauma of being repeatedly pierced by sharp and sometimes relatively large diameter needles before sufficient fluid flow is attained. Further, in instances of emergency in which medical fluids must be quickly introduced into the patient, excessive time spent attempting to properly insert and place the needle may result in potentially harmful delay in administration of necessary emergency treatment with possible, dire consequences for the patient.
An advantage exists, therefore, for a medical needle which can reliably penetrate a body cavity, particularly a blood vessel, whereby satisfactory fluid flow into or from the body cavity through the needle can generally be achieved by a single insertion of the needle into a patient.
Gordon U.S. Pat. No. (5,064,411) shows a hypodermic needle with a serrated or pronged tip. However, the Gordon needle is distinct from the needle of the instant invention in that the area between the prongs is different in a material way. In the Gordon needle the area between the prongs is blunt so that the prongs and the blunt portion can be caught by fabric and thereby prevent the needle from inadvertently puncturing the skin as best shown in FIG. 3 of Gordon. On the other hand, the area between the prongs of applicant""s device is beveled so as to create a cutting edge to facilitate entry of the needle into the vein. This is best shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
The present invention provides an intravenous medical needle having a configuration specifically adapted to enable the needle to reliably penetrate a body cavity including a blood vessel such as a vein or an artery, such that satisfactory fluid flow into or from the blood vessel through the needle can generally be achieved by a single insertion of the needle into a patient, notwithstanding the condition of the patient""s vasculature. The needle of this invention comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical tube preferably formed of surgical steel or other suitable material having one end which is ground, cut or otherwise formed so as to provide a pointed, gently sloping end adapted for penetration through a subject""s skin and into the selected body cavity, e.g., a blood vessel. The pointed end of the needle includes a plurality of prongs or tines defined by at least one notch formed between the prongs or tines for enhancing the likelihood of engagement and penetration of the wall of the selected body cavity upon insertion of the needle through a patient""s skin.
The herein disclosed invention envisions a medical needle adapted for conducting fluid, said needle comprising: a generally cylindrical tube having a central longitudinal axis, a first end and a second pointed end adapted for penetration into a body cavity of a subject; and a plurality of prongs provided in said pointed end, wherein between said plurality of prongs there is a notch having a beveled edge for facilitating the entry of the pointed end of the needle into a body cavity. Said medical needle can have two prongs or three prongs or more. The pointed end of the medical needle can slope at a first angle relative to said central axis and said at least one notch slopes at a second angle relative to said first angle.
Other details, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of the presently preferred embodiments and presently preferred methods of practicing the invention proceeds.